Codie Wahrman had the privilege of being a High School Band and Orchestra Director and serving on a school admin team for many years. He enjoys directing Honor Bands and Orchestra’s throughout Montana and Wyoming. Has a passion for leadership, training, and mentoring.

In his current role he serves as a dedicated team member to the Eckroth Music Family and greatly enjoys the opportunity to serve and work with students and Music Directors from across the state. His experience as a dedicated and successful teacher and director, paired with his leadership background, allows him to provide excellent service and mentorship to schools, teachers, and students from across the State.

On his time off he enjoys hiking , fishing, camping, attending concerts, and playing Saxophone or Guitar. He can often be found exploring Montana with his two dogs.

Roxanne Jeppesen is a professional drummer in Billings, MT. She is active in the music community performing with a variety of groups including recent performances with the Rocky Mountain Jazz Collective, Billings Symphony Orchestra, and Billings Studio Theater. As a drummer, Roxanne aspires to be a sensitive accompanist while creating comfortable and melodic grooves. Roxanne has a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California. She currently teaches orchestra and general music at Will James Middle School and music education classes at MSUBillings. During her free time she loves to go on adventures with her family.

Amy Schendel has just begun a new adventure as the Music and Art Education Coordinator for the Billings Public Schools after directing choirs at Skvyiew High School for 16 years. She holds bachelors degrees in Clarinet Performance and Music Education, as well as a Master of Music Education from the University of Montana. She is also a certified member of the VoiceCare Network. Amy is heavily involved in the music community state-wide. In addition to her teaching, she enjoys playing clarinet and singing for the Billings Symphony, singing onstage for Rimrock Opera, Glacier Symphony and local community theaters, music directing and playing in pit orchestra, guest conducting, adjudicating and teaching at camps around Montana and Wyoming.

Casey Conlon has adopted three things in his life: Montana citizenship, a border collie named Mac, and a love and appreciation for music thanks to his wonderful wife, Kassidy. A native Californian (don’t hold it against him), he came to Billings out of college to work for KTVQ Television, where he still works as the station’s senior news reporter and sports director. He’s seen first hand the good that programs like Arts Without Programs can do in his community, and is excited to see and share more success stories. In his free time he’s an avid golfer, a beginning skier, and a lover of the outdoors (thanks once again to Kassidy’s hard work to get him outside).

Kassidy Conlon is a cellist and local orchestra teacher, who earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Masters of Education with an Emphasis in Music from Montana State University - Bozeman. She teaches private cello lessons, and leads a middle school Fiddle Club and a Full Orchestra. In addition to the Arts Without Boundaries Board of Directors, Kassidy serves on the board for Red Lodge Music Festival. She also maintains a performance schedule, playing with the Billings Symphony, yoga classes, and church services. When not teaching, playing, and sharing music, Kassidy is most likely reading, playing soccer, or adventuring in the Beartooth Mountains with her husband, Casey and border collie, Mac.

An Internal Medicine physician in Billings, Kari grew up playing the piano and took up cello as an adult. She enjoys playing with Canyon Creek String Ensemble and has raised two Suzuki violin students. Daughter of an artist, supporting art and music has always been important to her, and volunteering on the Arts Without Boundaries board is one part of that mission.

Karyn Mehus is a local artist/painter and also can be found on stage in local theatre. She has a Bachelor of Fine Art from Chapman University in Southern California, where she was born and raised, and studied drama at South Coast Repertory Theatre. She teaches high school art classes at a local homeschool co-op, fitness classes at the YMCA and is currently in the process of learning how to facilitate art classes to transform trauma and grief. She is excited to partner with AWB to revive the kids summer art program on the South Side of Billings this summer.

Mike Miller is currently the manager of the Eckroth Music store in Billings. He previously taught music in Montana and Oregon for 21 years. He received his Bachelors of Music Education from Montana State University, and did his Masters work in Clarinet Performance with Robert Spring at Arizona State University. Mike is passionate about supporting students and teachers in music programs throughout the state.

John Novotny grew up in the Billings School System and played music under great school directors on saxophone since 5th grade. He graduated from Eastern Montana College in 1975 and taught band in Big Timber for 37 years. His love of bringing music to students and the community has always been a passion and he found ways to continue that goal by serving on the Arts Without Boundaries Board. It has been a rewarding experience to help maintain the AWB music mentoring programs, summer, and after-school art programs, and bringing extremely talented music entertainers to our local schools and to all the All-State Musicians and State Music Festival participants each year. He continues to be active in the world of Big Band jazz performances with a Montana group of musicians named the Hangar Band, which also helps provide music opportunities to our students with their benefit dances. Arts Without Boundaries is a great avenue and a gratifying way to bring the worthy goal of bringing these beneficial gifts to students our community.

Rachel has been a part of the Billings, Montana Art Community for the past 20 years, participating in numerous shows and events. Originally from Bozeman, she has lived and worked in Miles City, Great Falls, the Mission Valley, and the Territory of Guam.

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Influenced by music, nature, and the inspiration of favorite contemporary artists and the Modern Masters, she creates work in a variety of media. Acrylic is her most frequent choice.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and Art Education, and a Master’s in Art Therapy, Rachel has worked in many school settings, a family shelter, chemical dependency treatment, memory care, and other residential settings for the elderly. She has presented workshops and classes for all ages, in areas of painting, personal growth, dreamwork, printmaking, mask-making, and mixed media. An exciting year was spent traveling Montana as the Teaching Artist for Artmobile of Montana, presenting exhibits and facilitating projects.

As an artist, educator, and Art Therapist, Rachel strives to create a balanced life which combines service to others with her own creative growth and expression.